Pibe-engagingr slip



i Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,445

a, R. LIVERGOOD PIPE ENGAGING SLIP Filed July 29, 1921 v 2 sheets-sheet l ERALD a. LIVEZWQTQQDW gwuewfo'a WWW Feb; 13, 1923.

1,445,445 G. R. LIVERGOOD PIPE ENGAGING SLIP Filed July 29, 1921 2 she ets-sheet 2 i @EVALD R. LIVERGOQQJnumWoa Qm @WM Patented Feb. 13, we.

urrso starts GERALD It. LI'VERGOOD, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

PIPE-ENGAGING ELIE.

Application filed .luly t9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERALD R. Lrvnneoon, a citizen or the United States, residing at Houston, Harris County, Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inPipe Engaging Shes, oi WlllOl'i the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use 131168211116.

My invention relates to pipe-engaging slips for use particularly in drilling operations. l a l i l During the process of: drilling for oil, water, gas, etc, it is necessary to frequently remove the drill stem and drill tromthe well to repair the drill and also to replenish the lubricant. The drill stein is unscrewed in lengths of several sections of pipe at a time, during the removal operation, and, while the unscrewing is proceeding, the drill-stem is supported in the rotary by means of slips. 1 The rotary has a downwardly tapered seat in its upper end and the slips comprise sector shaped jaws toothed on their inner i'aces and shaped to it the drill stem. On their outer faces the said slips are tapered downwardly to lit the seat in the rotary. The difliculty most commonly experienced with the usual. type of slip is that it jamsin the rotary and cannot be easily removed. 1

An ob ect of my invention is to provide a oioc en a im sli that is made ii of a 1 l U b b plurality of jaws assembled together as units in such maniiier as to allow free lateral and vertical play of the separate aws and hence permit the quick release of the slips from the rotary and the pipe.

Another object is to provide a slip that is light in weight and yet strong in construction and capable of withstanding the heavy duty to which such slips are subjected.

Another object is to provide a slip for rotary which is made up of a plurality of jaws mounted on a specially constructed cage or frame designed insuchmanner as to permit of the quick assembly of the sepaceive the pipe. Fig. 2 is a transverse sec- 1921. serial in. 422,312.

tion through one of my assembled slips tal ren along the upper supporting rod. Fig. 3 1s a perspective view of one of the jaws showing the supporting rods in section.

Fig. 1; is a perspective view of the assembled irame upon which the jaws may be mounted. Figs. 5 and 6 are front and side elevational views respectively of one of the spacing yolres, and Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the plane 7-7 of Fig. 6.

The present invention is designed as an in'iprovement on the design oi slip set forth in my prior Patent No. 1,381,074, granted June 7, 1921. This embodiment is particularly adapted for the larger sizes of pipes and for heavy loads. made of small enough sectors to not grip the pipe over a large enough area to am against the pipe and lock and also to be free to move in all directions relative to the supporting cage and to each other. To construct the separate jaws so that they will be strong and also light in weight, I form them as shown in Fig. 3. Each jaw 1 is sector shaped, the inner gripping face being toothed at 2. The sides of the jaw are reoessed so as to dispense with some or the.

weight of the jaws. The jaws will then he in central transverse section approximately like a curved I-beam, as shown in Fig. 2.

In mounting these jaws ior handling, I

assei'nble a plurality, preferably. four, upon a supporting cage in such manner that they maybe operated as a unit. For this purpose I provide a cage or frame shown separately in lfiig. -Il:. l t comprises upper and lower curved bolts or rods 3 and 4-,respecti'vely. 'lhese rods,----one of which is best shown in Fig. a are termed with a central enlarged portion 5 having shoulders (l, (i at points spiced a suitable distance lromtlu center. Beyond the shoulder 6 the rod is reduced slightly indiameter at 8 for a short. space and is then again reduced abruptly in diameter at 9 to provide a second shoulder 7. From this shoulder to the outer end of the curved rod 3 the diameter remains the same.

The rods are threaded at each end to. receive a nut 10 which is castellated to receive a cotter pin, or other suitable means, pass ing through the slots in said nut and through a transverse opening 11 in the rod to lock the nut against removal.

To receive the transverse rods 3 and 4c, the ja s are provided with two openings 12 intermediate the ends thereof, these openings being somewhat oblong and? of somewhat greater length in vertical than horizontal diameter. to receive the rod very loosely therein so as to allow the movement of the jaws in all I directions relative to the supporting rod;

The openings 12 are bored only in the central web 13- of the aws, the intervening space between the webs forming a housing vfor :inspaci'ngmeans to hold the adjacent jaws loosely apart.

i The spacingmeans comprises a Washer 151 bearing against the shoulder 6 and of such diameter as to prevent its movement through the opening '12. in the jaw. The washer 15, bears against the shoulder 7 on the other side of the web'of the jaw, and prevents movement beyond that point in the opposite direction. Thus it will be seen that the jaw whose web 13 comes between said washers wvilliihave a limited lateral'movement in each. direction, but is held approximately in position relative to the other jaws. At the outermost end of each rod in each separate slip, the nut 10 will prevent the movement of the outer jaw beyond acertain point.

Bearing against the inner face of the nut 10 is a'spacing sleeve 16 serving to space w per and lower sleevesQO and 21 respectively,

' to support therods and through which the. said rods are adapted to pass; These sleeves have'openings23 thereinfto receive the rods. The; upper end of each ofsthe" spacing posts l9is extended upwardly at: 24' to furnish an: attaching means for a handle. For this purpose the" upper extension 24 is recessed centrally, as shown at125. This recess isof such diameter as-to receive a cable or other similar-means'26 therein and to allow space outside thereof to receive some soldering 5U means 27 this means may be lead, Babbitt, or othersuitahle metal: The supporting rods?! and 4 are held rigidly apart in spaced position by means of these spacing. posts, but the jaws are fitted? so loosely upon the saidrod's that they move both vertically and laterally relative to the frame orcage thus constructed, and each jaw will also have separate" play relative-to-the adjacent jaw.

As'will'be' noted, the spacing posts 19 are fittedwithin therecesses provided in the sides ofthej'aws; To allow space for the upward extension- 24 on each of the posts, however, it isinecessary to form semi-cylindrical lateral grooves. or notches 28 in the.

adjacent upper endsof the said jaws. These They are of such size as notches are of a diameter somewhat larger than the posts 19, thus allowii the jaws to move freely upon the frame. he handle made up of the cable 26 extends upwardly from the ends of the posts, and serves to connect the two adjacentposts on each slip. Thecablh is provided with a short len th of pipe 29 through which it passes, sait pipe furnishing a hand hold for the driller.

On the upper end of each of the 'aws 1 I prefer to form a central upstanding lug 30. lVith a lug such as this on each adjacent jaw it will be noted that the cable 26 forming the handle will be shielded somewhat between the two adjacent lugs 30 so that weights striking against the upper ends of the slips will not be apt to mash or break the cable so as to damage same. Inthis way a handle made in this manner will last for a lonlg period of time without breaking.

he operation of my pipe engaging slip will now be clear without further description. The slips comprising each set, of which therewillbe two or more, will be secured together by the frame ore-age constructed as described, and may be moved to and from their seat in. the rotary as a unit. Being constructed with a toothed face ofnarrow width it will not act to jam against the pipe. The aws will therefore bear against the pipe on all sides with practically equal pressure. Each of the separate jaws will be allowed movement upon the supporting rods 3 and 4 in vertical and lateral directions due to the size of the o enings 12 through which the rods pass, {UK to the space provided between theadjacent shoulders formed upon the supporting rods in the manner described; This lateral play will allow them to be fitted easily about the pipe and within the rotary seat and will allow each jaw to move so that it will quickly release when the slip is raised bv means of its handle.

Slips constructed in accordance with this design are capable of withstanding heavy loads and will not break or mutilate under thorough usage to which such slips are commonly subjected; Recessina the sides of the jaws as shown will make them light in weight so that they may be easily moved by the. driller.

Having thus described my invention, the further objects and advantages of which will be apparent'to one skilled in art, what I claim as new and dcsireto protect by Let ters Patent is:

1. In a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of separate clamping jaws mounted upon a frame comprising upper and lower supportingrods extending laterally through each of said aws, upright spacing posts adjacent each of the ends of saidrods, said posts havmg openings to receivesaid"r0ds;handles'secured to said posts and means on said rods to'retain said jaws loosely thereon.

2. In a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of separate clamping aws mounted upon a frame comprising upper and lower supporting rods extending laterally through each of said jaws, an upright spacing post having openings therethrough to receive said rods, and means 011 said rods to retain said jaws loosely thereon.

8. In a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of arcuate pipe engaging jaws having upper and lower transverse openings therethrough, rods passing loosely through said openings, means intermediate the ends of said jaws to space the said rods rigidly apart, and means to retain saidjaws on said rods.

l. In a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of arcuate pipe engaging jaws having transverse openings therethrough intermediate their ends, rods fitting loosely in said openings, means to secure said jaws loosely on said rods and means to move said slip as a unit. i

5. I11 a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of arcuate pipe engaging jaws, the sides of said jaws being recessed to provide a web having upper and lower transverse openings, supporting rods extending loosely through said openings, spacing posts in said recesses and having openings to receive said rods and means to retain said jaws loosely on said rods. i

(3. In a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of pipe engaging jaws, the sides of said aws being recessed to provide a central upright web having openings therein, transverse rods of smaller diameter than said opening extending therethrough, means to retain said jaws on said rods and means housed in the recessed sides of said rigidly apart.

7. In a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of pipe engaging jaws, means positioned intermediate the ends of said jaws to retain said jaws loosely together and means secured to said retaining means to move said jaws as a unit.

8. In a pipe engaging slip, a plu 'ality of pipe engaging aws, rods passing transversely through said jaws intermediate the ends of said jaws, and means to space said rods rigidly apart.

9. In a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of arouate jaws recessed on the side thereof, said aws having transverse openings therethrough, a supporting rod passing loosely through said openings, means to retain said jaws loosely on said rod and means to move said slip. i

10. In a pipe engaging slip, a plurality of pipe engaging aws, a rod passing transversely through said jaws intermediate the ends thereof, means to retain said j aws loosely on said rod and means to move said jaws as a unit.

11. A pipe engaging means composed of a plurality of separate slips, each slip comprising a plurality of pipe engaging jaws, means intermediate the ends of said jaws and fitted loosely therein, to hold said jaws together as a unit, and means to move each 0 said slips.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto allix my signature, this the 26th day of July, A. D. 1921.

jaws to space said rods GERALD R. mvnaooon. 

